Modern aircraft, such as the F-15 aircraft manufactured by the assignee of the present invention, and the P-3, the S-3 and the F-16 aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company, are adapted to carry stores. These stores can, for example, include missiles, such as the Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM), the Harpoon Block I missile, and the Harpoon Block II missile. A missile is generally mounted to the wing of a host aircraft, typically via disconnectable pylons, such that the aircraft can carry the missile to the vicinity of the target destination prior to its deployment.
Typically, aircraft include provisions to carry and launch stores of a predetermined type. For example, aircraft such as the P-3 aircraft typically have provisions to carry and launch Harpoon Block I missiles. The aircraft provisions can include aircraft wiring and a weapon control subsystem, such as a Harpoon Aircraft Command and Launch Control System (HACLCS). In this regard, the weapon control subsystem can provide pre-launch power and control signals to develop and load mission and target parameters into the store, and then provide launch functions to the store and thereafter release the store. Generally, the store is attached to the aircraft at a weapon store pylon that provides the mechanical mounting and release mechanisms and the electrical connection for the power, control and communication link with the weapon control subsystem within the aircraft. In turn, a short umbilical cable normally provides the electrical connection between the store and the aircraft. In this regard, the umbilical cable is typically mechanically restrained and electrically connected to the aircraft pylon on one end, and electrically connected through a releasable connector at a store umbilical connector at the other end.
In some instances, it is desirable to monitor the communications between the weapon control subsystem and the store. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/957,824 (the '824 application), filed Oct. 4, 2004 and entitled “System, Bus Monitor Assembly and Method of Monitoring at Least One Data Bus of an Aircraft”, describes an aircraft that may be adapted to control the operation of a store of one predetermined type, such as a Harpoon Block I missile, but that is also capable of carrying a store of a different predetermined type, such as a Harpoon Block II missile. Regardless of the type of store that is carried by the aircraft, the aircraft is capable of communicating with the store across a communications bus, such as a MK-82 Digital Data bus. In instances in which one predetermined type of store utilizes an expanded data set, such as to permit more sophisticated flight control and navigation, relative to the other predetermined type of store, the bus monitor assembly is capable of capturing traffic on the communications bus (i.e., data communications between the aircraft and the store) and determining if the bus communications are correct for type of store carried by the aircraft. In addition to capturing traffic on the communications bus and determining if the communications are correct, the bus monitor assembly of the '824 application may also be capable of providing menu-driven displays to facilitate a user directing the bus monitor assembly to display the captured communications.
In order to interface with the communications bus, a bus interface card assembly, such as an MK-82 interface (I/F) card assembly, may be employed. A bus monitor assembly, such as described by the '824 application, can also include a bus interface card to monitor the communications bus of the aircraft. While a bus interface card assembly is oftentimes necessary to interface with the communications bus, difficulties may arise in instances in which a bus interface card is improperly programmed or otherwise has an error. For example, a bus interface card that is improperly programmed or that has a malfunctioning component may not permit signals to be transmitted and/or received via the communications bus in the manner that is desired.
Although the bus monitor assembly is useful for determining if the communications between the aircraft and the store are correct, there remains a need in the art to more fully interact with various bus interface assemblies, such as MK 82 I/F assemblies. This need for more interaction with a bus interface assembly exists not only in conjunction with an aircraft weapon control system, but also in other applications including, for example, in conjunction with software development and the development and testing of aircraft and weapon test equipment.